UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan Tuesday urged leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to resolve their differences through dialogue so as to stabilize the southeastern European country and set it on the road to progress and prosperity.

Speaking in a UN Security Council debate on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Masood Khan said Pakistan would continue to support all efforts to ensure a safe and secure country, working for improvement of the lives of its people.

The Pakistani envoy also backed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s efforts to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity to strengthen the state and protect the rights of all communal entities.

However, Masood Khan noted that “the negatives exceeded, the positives”, with internal disagreement holding back the country.

The improved economic front was a welcome signal, and he hoped such momentum would be maintained.

Yet, the lack of progress on the five objectives and two conclusions indicated a weak commitment to the future, and he urged leaders on all sides of the political divide to work constructively to break the impasse.

The Pakistani envoy was also deeply concerned at the challenges to the 1995 Dayton peace agreement that ended fighting in the country, and to its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Actions by the leadership of Republika Srpska (RS), including advocating dissolution of the state, amounted to the core provisions of the General Framework Agreement being challenged.

Further, he said, unilateral action by the Government had led to the crisis on citizen identification numbers.

The Pakistani envoy said it was vital that all parties recognize legal frameworks for the division of power in the country.

Opening the debate, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Valentin Inzko underscored the need for sustained attention of the international community to launch the country on the path to prosperity and political stability.

“The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina still merits close watch if we are to ensure that the gains made after the war in terms of stability, rebuilding the country and reconciling its peoples are not lost,” he said.